Earring mounting



Dec. 20, 1960 o. L. PATTERSON EARRING MOUNTING Filed March 7, 1955 FIG. I

FIG. 4

FIG?) IN VEN TOR. ORVILLE L. PATTERS ON ATT United States Patent EARRING MOUNTING Orville L. Patterson, 49 Midland Road, Mentor, Ohio Filed Mar. 7, 1955, Ser. No. 492,424

4 Claims. (CI. 63-14) The present invention relates to jewelry mountings and, more particularly, to jewelry mountings of the earring type.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved earring type ornament mounting including car gripping means so constructed and arranged that the mounting may be readily used with either pierced or non-pierced ears.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved earring type ornament mounting including a pin member adapted to pass through the lobe of a pierced ear and a clamp member removably supported adjacent the end of the pin member and having a face adapted to engage the inner side of the ear lobe, the earring being convertible from a clamp type earring for use with non-pierced ears to an earring for use with pierced ears by removing the clamp member.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved earring type ornament mounting including a clamp member adapted to engage the inner side of a non-pierced ear and means supporting said clamp member for movement to a clamping position including a pivoted arm spring biased in a clamping direction and a pin-like member threaded through said arm for adjusting the position of the clamping member relative to the arm, the clamp member being removable to permit the use of the pin-like member as an ear attaching pin to adapt the earring for use with pierced ears.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved earring type ornament mounting having a movable clamping arm spring biased to a clamping position, a pin like member threaded through the clamping arm adapted to function as an attaching pin for a pierced ear lobe, a clamping member adapted to engage the inner side of the ear lobe threaded onto the end of the pin-like member and adjustable with respect to the arm to adjust the clamping pressure applied to the ear of the user by movement of the pin-like member, the clamping member being removable from the pinlike member to permit the use of the earring mounting with pierced ears.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of anew and improved earring mounting for an ear ornament wherein a clamping member for engaging the inner side of the ear lobe is frangibly connected to the mounting and movable to adjust the clamping pressure of the clamping member by means of a pin-like member threaded into the mounting and adapted to function, when the clamping member is detached from the mounting, in the manner of an attaching pin to permit the earring to be.used with pierced ears.

The invention resides in certain constructions and combinations and arrangements of parts, and-further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates from the following description of the preferred embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view, with parts in elevations, of an earring type jewelry mounting embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the mounting of Fig. l looking'at the right-hand side thereof as indicated by the section line 22 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, with parts in elevation, of an earring type ornament mounting showing an alternative form of the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view looking at the righthand side of Fig. 3 as indicated by the section line 44 of Fig. 3.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an earring type jewelry mounting which may be readily used with either pierced or non-pierced ears. By constructing the earring in accordance with the present invention, it is possible for manufacturers and distributors to keep their stock inventory at a minimum and yet provide a wide range of selection for their customers. Preferably, spring biasing means is provided for urging the clamp member into engagement with the ear lobe of the user, and the earring mounting is so constructed that the clamping pressure of the clamp member is adjustable.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, an ear ornament A, indicated in dot-dash lines, is mounted on a generally U-shaped frame or yoke member 10 having spaced legs 11, 12 positionable on the opposite sides of the ear lobe to which the earring is to be fastened, the ornament being secured to the outer side of leg 11.

The legs 11 and 12, in the illustrated embodiment, are joined by a portion 14 of the frame which forms the bottom or base portion of the U and the leg 12 is pivotally or hingedly connected thereto. A clamp member 15 having a face 16 adapted to engage the inner side of the ear lobe of the user in the manner of the inner clamping member of a clamp type earring is carried by the leg 12. The clamp member '15 is threaded onto the end of a pin 18 extending transversely of legs '11, 12 and threaded through a boss 20 formed as a part of the leg 12. The pin 18 is provided with a head 21 at its outer end to be used for threading the pin through the leg 12 in a direction either toward or away from the leg 11 of the frame 10. 1

The earring mounting of Fig. 1 may be used with pierced ears by threading the clamp member 15 off the end of the pin 18. After the removal of the clamp member '15, the pin is threaded through the leg 12 until the inner end of the pin is substantially in engagement with the leg 11 of the frame 10. In this position, the pin 18 will prevent the mounting from the slipping off the ear lobe of the user once the pin has been inserted through the ear lobe. The pin 18 may be inserted through the ear lobe by spreading the legs 11 and 12 to move the pin 18 away from the leg 11, or the pin 18- may be threaded away from the leg 11 a sufiicient distance to permit the insertion of the ear lobe and then threaded inwardly to cause the pin to movethrough the ear lobe and into engagement with the leg 11. If desired, the inner side of leg 11 may be provided with a recess to receive the end of pin 18.

The leg 12, in the illustrated embodiment, is formed of sheet metal and ispivotally or hingedly connected to the base portion 14 by a pintle pin 22. The lower end of the leg 12 has longitudinal slots. 23 therein which divide the end portion of the leg into three side-by-side longitudinal portions designated ,by the referencecharacters 24, 25 and 26. The lower. ends of the portions 24, 26 are bent around the pintle pin 22 and function as the movable members of the hinge. The central or intermediate portion 25 of the leg 12 engages the end of the base portion 14 and is bent out of the plane of the portions 24, 26. The structure is such that when the leg 12 is moved from a position substantially parallel to the leg 11 and perpendicular to the base portion 14, a spring bias is applied by reason of the distortion of the portion 25, which tends to move the leg member 12 to the position shown in Fig. '1. The leg 12 is formed with a bowed portion 27 intermediate its ends to facilitate the obtaining of the necessary spring bias.

It will be understood that the spacing between the face 15 and the leg 11 is such, when properly adjusted, that the leg 12 will have to be moved outwardly to insert the ear lobe between the leg 11 and the clamp member 15, thus causing the portion 25 of the leg 12 to exert a spring bias on the clamp member 15 that will securely fasten the earring to the ear lobe of the user. The clamp member 15 may be moved toward and away from the leg 11 to adjust the clamping pressure which will be applied to the lobe of the ear when the earring is in use.

The earring mounting illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 comprises a frame or yoke member 30 which is similar to the frame of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and '2, and has spaced legs 31, 32 joined at their lower ends by a base portion 30, with the leg 32 being pivotally connected to the base portion 34 by a hinge pin 35. The structure of the leg 32 and its connection to the base portion 34 is the same as the structureof the leg 12 and its connection to the base portion 14 of the mounting described in Fig. 1 and, therefore, will not be described in detail. Suffice it to say that the leg 32 is normally parallel to the leg 31 and, when moved therefrom, has a spring bias applied thereto tending to move it to the position shown in Fig. 3. The upper portion of the leg 32, however, is reversibly bent and the end thereof forms a clamp member 36 having a face 37 adapted to engage the inner side of the ear lobe of the user. The clamp member 36 is adapted to be moved toward and away from the leg 31 by a pin 38 threaded through a boss 40 forming a part of the leg 32. The inner end of the pin 38 is adapted to be received in a conical recess 41 in the side of the clamp member 36 adjacent to the leg 32, and is rotatable with respect to the clamp member 36. The leg 32 is scored, preferably immediately above the boss 40, as illustrated in Fig. 3, so that the reversibly bent portion of the leg and the clamp member 36 is frangibly connected to the leg and may be readily severed therefrom, thereby permitting removal of the clamp member 36. Upon removal of the clamp member 36, the earring mounting is adapted to be used with pierced ears.

The reversibly bent portion of the leg 32 is preferably such as to apply a spring bias, tending to move the clamp member 36 toward the leg 32. When the leg 32 is constructed in this manner, the clamp member 36 may be moved toward the leg 31 by threading the pin 38 toward the leg 31 and will move away from the leg 31 if the pin 38 is threaded outwardly of the leg 32 by reason of the spring bias applied to the clamp member by the reversibly bent portion of leg 32.

It may be desirable to provide a positive connection between the clamp member 36 and the piercing pin 38. This can be done by providing the inner end of the pin 38 with threads of opposite hand to the threads which cooperate with the leg 32 and constructing the clamp member 36 so that it has a threaded aperture for receiving the threads on the end portion of the pin 38. When constructed in this manner, the clamp member 36 will be positively moved toward or away from the leg member 31, depending upon the direction in'which the pin 38 is threaded.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, the objects heretofore enumerated and others have been accornplished and a new and improved earring type jewelry mounting has been provided having a clamp member for use with non-pierced ears and a pin for use with pierced ears, the clamping member preferably being spring biased and the earring mounting preferably being so constructed and arranged that the clamping pressure applied to the ear lobe by the clamp member may be adjusted.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the construction shown and it is my intention to cover hereby all adaptations, modifications and changes therein which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an earring jewelry mounting a generally U-shaped frame having spaced first and second leg members adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of an ear lobe, means for biasing said first leg member against movement from a given position relative to said second leg member in a direction away from said second leg member, a pin having an end adapted to project through the opening in a pierced ear, said pin being threaded through said first leg member with said end extending toward said second leg member and tapered to provide a point for leading the pin through the opening in the ear, and an ear lobe clamping member intermediate said second leg member and said end of said pin and detachably connected with said end of said pin.

2. In an earring jewelry mounting a generally U -shaped frame having spaced first and second leg members adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of an ear lobe, means pivotally connecting said leg members together, spring means connected to said leg members for biasing said first leg member against movement from a given position relative to said second leg member in a direction away from said second leg member, a pin having an end adapted to project through the opening in a pierced ear, said pin being threaded through said first leg member with said end extending toward said second leg member and tapered to provide a point for leading the pin through the opening in the ear, and an ear lobe clamping member intermediate said second leg member and said end of said pin and detachably connected with said end of said pin.

3. In an earring jewelry mounting a generally U-shaped frame having spaced first and second leg members adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of an ear lobe, means pivotally connecting said leg members together, spring means connected to said leg members for biasing said first leg member against movement from a given position relative to said second leg member in a direction away from said second leg member, a pin having an end adapted to project through the opening in a pierced ear, said pin being threaded through said first leg member with said end extending toward said second leg member and tapered to provide a point for leading the pin through the opening in the ear, and an ear lobe clamping member detachably threaded upon said end of said pin.

4. In an earring jewelry mounting a generally U-shaped frame having spaced first and second leg members adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of an ear lobe, means pivotally connecting said leg members together, spring means connected to said leg members for biasing said first leg member against movement from a given position relative to said second leg member in a direction away from said second leg member, a pin having an end adapted to project through the opening in a pierced ear, said pin being threaded through said first leg member with said end extending toward said second leg member and tapered to provide a point for leading the pin through the opening in the car, an earlobe clamping member intermediate said second leg member and said end of said pin and detachably connected with said end of said pin, and means frangibly connecting said ear clamping member to said first leg member.

(References on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,144,926 References Cited in the file of this patent 234,881 McAlpine Nov. 30, 1880 215011754 249,238 Heggie Nov. 8, 1881 5 2, 29,939 262,833 Rosenberg Aug. 15, 188 2,666,973 292,810 Hartman Feb. 5, 1884 511,952 Hubash Jan. 2, 1894 848,252 Kitterman Mar. 26, 1907 259,904 1,262,519 Kline Apr 9, 1918 10 837,328

6 Lawton Ian. 24, 1939 Benner Sept. 5, 1944 Jellinek May 21, 1946 Battiste May 28, 1950 McDonald Mar. 3, 1953 Mosley Jan. 26, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Feb. 15, 1949 Germany Mar. 20, 1952 

